Claudette's Mate
by DogDrawler
Summary: The grand finale of the Claudette Series is finally here! Dealing with the fallout of what happened to Humphrey, Fleet and Claudette fear they may never be together again; however, a familiar threat has emerged from the Northern famine, preparing to strike. See the final chapter where the fate of the entire united pack is decided. Thank you, supporters, for everything!
1. Claudette's Mate

Claudette's Mate by DogDrawler **(written from April 10th to April 30th, 2019) Rated T for mature themes and graphic sequences.**

**Seventeen days before the summer ****solstice...**

Jasper Park... is no lawless land. In the Valley, there are codes established in the East, West, North, and South, the result of many fellowships generations in the making, rising from gloom to erase the despondency and build a better world for a better posterity. Few of the present time would know the treachery of the distant past. Many years ago there was an age where chaos reigned so supreme that parents were too busy fighting each other to teach their pups the necessities of life. Wolves would go to their dens with empty bellies and bitter attitudes, and only with common sense order did peace return. However, peace came with a price. Revolutionaries betrayed one of the most ancient codes of wolfkind: the pack leader must never be challenged. Today, each pack still has its pack leader that no other Alpha is above, but laws and the education of citizens now limit their strength. Although citizens cannot overthrow them, citizens may question them and, with enough wolves, delegitimize them with reason.

But Fleet would not dare to overthrow his brother-in-law nor question him, for that would be ludicrous. He was no hooligan. He was no delinquent. He was certainly no Rogue. If there were no witnesses, he would spill what he did, but what he did could not be tolerated by any wolf, pack, or any community animal. What he did would even seem barbaric to the wolves of the aforementioned lawless age. It was a beating so brutal, the victim could not comprehend the anguish of lying in his own den wrapped in blood and dirt on the fringes of losing consciousness forever. And that victim was his father-in-law-to-be, Humphrey.

For a couple of moons, Claudette's fiancé had grown a space of emotional offering to dedicate to his pups should they come. He was very much ready to love them and happily provide all their needs. But everything collapsed after he heard that all his offspring tragically died. His excitement for a new beginning with his beloved special one turned into anger and rage impulsively towards his former enemy, the only one in the vicinity who didn't want him and his daughter to be together. And only after nearly killing Humphrey, did Fleet learn that one pup... just one pup survived. In that second thereafter, his senses flowed back in, and he quickly realized he made a fatal mistake, a mistake that could cost him his reputation, his freedom, maybe his own life. One terrible decision equates to a multitude of terrible consequences and, to make matters worse, Fleet, according to the West, was a foreigner; thus, he had almost no rights to defend himself. Whatever punishment he was given, he couldn't argue against. It was simply bad.

News had spread like wildfire via howls started by Magril. Fleet had stayed in the den overnight while Humphrey was urgently taken to the Pack Healers' Den for Males and tended, but the Omega's chances were slim. Over the course of that night, Magril, silently and with disappointment in her eyes, watched her brother from outside as he began to take in the reality that he murdered the Omega. By morning, Alphas were escorting him out. One of them told him that a dead Humphrey wasn't the truth after all, but it didn't cheer Fleet up in the slightest. If it weren't for his only surviving pup, Fleet probably would've wished he was going to be executed knowing he expanded Humphrey's beliefs that he was dangerous. He would never want Claudette to feel unsafe. Even if chaos reigned once more, he would fight for the greater good of his pups.

Nonetheless, after the Alpha's ignominious actions, he continued pensive, wondering if he could trust his own mind, for how could he be confident in being a good father if he almost killed someone out of pure instinct? Time could only tell if it was a fluke or something to fret, but the wolves of the West, in this case, had the complete court in their paws.

* * *

Outside Claudette's den, the superficial air was static and still but, high above him, the moving parts of the atmosphere endured. Stone-faced, the Alpha stared directly at the clouds hurrying by like large white masses of fur blowing arbitrarily in the gales. He noticed a number of them getting darker, wondering if is own heart corresponded. He thought he couldn't be a bad wolf, but recent events have made him rethink his own thinking. He stiffened his lips and took note of the varying shades of grey that the dark parts of the clouds consisted of. Their shapes morphed erratically. No shapes yet resembled pups or a litter, but it was all the Northerner could see. When the figures would swiftly dissipate, he would cringe and feel sensations of grief. Walking toward him from behind, Claudette heard Fleet's resulting sigh at the sky. She wanted to hug him but hesitated. She didn't want to frighten him, but Fleet was well aware of her intentions. He needed a hug, and thankfully Claudette went passed her reluctance with great haste to oblige. He earnestly saturated his nose with her illustrious scent then returned his attention upwards.

"A storm is brewing," said the Alpha flatly. "I reckon a nasty one."

"On the bright side, I do miss playing in the rain with you," the she-wolf replied.

"Now I can't enjoy anything. Because of me, the future we dreamed of will only remain what it is: dreams. Humphrey was right about everything."

"Fleet... I'm not gonna defend your actions... You know this. The fact is you almost killed Dad and... *clears throat*" Claudette began to choke on her own words. "And... I don't know how I'm still loving you as much as I am; I admit it, but know that I am."

"You have no right to," said Fleet. The she-wolf then lightly licked his right cheek which perked his ears up.

"Maybe not but I do love you a lot. Honey, I'm going to be straight-up honest. What you did to my dad really does bother me, but it does not change my mind about you 'cause I know the real you. You are loving. You are kind. And after that mess, you are still loving and kind. Do I believe you deserve punishment? Same as you. But do I believe you deserve anything that would keep us apart? Not a chance. Doesn't matter if I have to start a whole new pack with you. I'm not leaving your sight."

"I don't know how I feel about running away from my problems. I've always gone headfirst for everything."

"Desperate times call for desperate measures."

"They'll come for us."

"They'll try," Claudette said smugly. "If you go down, I go down. We're two branches of the same tree. Remember when I sent those bees at you?"

"You mean when you almost killed me?"

"I don't remember it quite like that but sure. See? We're both flawed, and it's okay if we run away and still flaunt it. I assure you it is."

"Claudette, try to be serious. Blood is on my paws. Nobody is gonna see it as being 'just flawed.' The populace will want justice. I know the policies of the West almost as much as you do. There's a strong chance they will bite my neck."

"Then I'm going with you, Fleet."

"Then what about our pup?!" said the Alpha, raising his voice. "Don't tell me you forgot about him! You want him to be without two parents instead of one?!" Claudette paused before continuing.

"*sigh* No..."

"This isn't fairytales anymore. We have obligations now. We can't do that to him or her... We can't... This is the river I jumped in and mine alone. Promise me, on your life, you won't ever leave our pup. We're all part of the same tree, and he's the thickest branch. Cut him off and the tree dies."

Claudette looked down at her paws. They were huge adult paws with sharp claws shining in the full sun. Fleet was right. When she was just having crushes, the world was simpler. There was always an older wolf to comfort you, to make you feel safe. Because of hunting parents, food was so easy to obtain that they would focus more on digging up the play bone and making the neighbors annoyed by barking copiously at them. And it was the parents' duty to correct your behavior, not your own. Time and time again, Claudette had to be reminded that the period of mother's milk had ended. Such is the life of every Alpha who's ever lived. She came to grips that it was time to accept it.

"I promise," she finally responded. "You're right. It isn't good for our pup. I shall be the best mother I've ever been."

"You haven't been a mother until recently."

"Oh, right. Um, well, you know what I mean... And Fleet?"

"Yeah?"

"Never tell my brother we had this conversation."

"You know I won't"

"I didn't tell you which brother I was referring to."

"Oh, trust me. I know."

"Speaking of brothers, he's probably gonna arrive from the council any minute now."

"Prepared?"

"No," Claudette answered.

"Me neither."

With the stagnant air surrounding, the couple stayed embraced by each other, continuing to soak in the physical environment. The warmth of the sun, the calls of the jays, the texture of the rock they sat on, they used anything around to distract them from the impending news. If it was going to be true to its ominous nature, they wanted to savor their last day together, and no approaching storm in the distance was going to intimidate them. The couple was jointly locked. The sky danced above them while their beings intertwined and their tails woven. To think of them as two separate spiritual individuals would be foolish, and with spring fleeting and their future in disarray, their connection mattered more than ever.

It took five more minutes before Stinky made it to Fleet and Claudette but, upon seeing them, he let them be for another five. The information he was about to tell, he knew it would not satisfy them. He figured giving them some more time to themselves was necessary. But eventually, like all things, no matter how necessary there are they all have to come to an end.

"Claudette. Fleet," Stinky called. The couple turned around.

"Sir," addressed Fleet. He bowed his head and tucked his tail between his back legs. "What is the council's judgment?"

"I won't sugarcoat it," said the pack leader. "They wanted you dead." Claudette burst into tears and collapsed to the ground.

"No... it ain't right," she sobbed. "IT AIN'T RIGHT!"

Stinky went on.

"Be glad you're engaged to my sister, Fleet. I'm certain if it weren't for my objections, your grave would've already been dug."

"I understand, sir," the Alpha acknowledged, looking at the ground somberly.

"I don't know what to say or think about the incident with dad. I just can't understand how anyone like you could do something like that. I mean, it feels like a betrayal because I helped you with Claudette."

"It is a betrayal, Stinky. I'm so sorry about your father. I truly am. He is a good wolf and I wronged him. I wronged him in ways no animal deserves, and I don't expect you to forgive me, but I beg you, as my friend and dear brother, for leniency. Your sister and our pup are all I really value. I would rather die than hurt them. To bereave us would be a mistake."

"Sorry, but what's done is done. There's no pass. You're a foreigner who brutally attacked an Omega on my soil. The Easterns, Westerns, and Southerners no longer trust you or your packmates. I saved you from death, but I had to make a trade with the other councilmembers. Effective tomorrow, you are hereby banished from the United Pack which includes the East and West. Also, the United Pack is no longer aiding the North with its famine. There are other reasons for the latter, but this is the best decision we could make. All of this will be announced to the pack tomorrow as well. We can't tolerate murder or attempted murder."

"Oh, my gosh, this is frickin' madness!" barked Claudette. "I can't believe it! No! This... This is crazy!"

"What about my pup?" Fleet asked.

"Since the pup is of royal blood from Winston's lineage, he has to stay here. Furthermore, Kate, who is a ranking member of the council, has added that you are not allowed to interact or see the pup as long as he resides in this pack."

"What? No exceptions? Not even Christmas? I can't, for Pete's sake, name my own pup...?"

"Should they have pups under the age of one moon, convicted foreigners aren't recognized as parents. Normally, this would apply to rapists who leave offspring, so we would have the right to take care of them, but it appears Mom has made it apply to you too."

Fleet then joined Claudette in tears. The information was crushing him.

"Oh, please... please this is too much than I can bear... I'm already dead. What more can they take from me aside from my life...?"

"Are you serious?! Has Mom lost her logic? Why don't I name him?" asked Claudette. "This is a punishment for him, not me!"

"I presume the council will decide his name," Stinky added.

"Brother, you know this is too far. This isn't attempted murder; it's aggravated battery. Neither is good, but my point is this is blown a little out of proportion!"

"I'm sorry, sis'! I had my paws tied! I don't know what else to say! Don't yell at me when it's your boyfriend who beat up Dad! Emotional or not, he should know better! It was either I do what they say or Fleet would've been finished, okay! I may be a pack leader, but I don't control everything! And I'm not your servant! I'm sorry... I did what I had to... Sometimes justice isn't going to be served exactly the way it's supposed to be. We're caught in the heat of the fallout..."

"*sigh* Unbelievable. Ugh, this is really bad. I can't leave the United Pack 'cause of our pup, and I won't be able to see my special one..."

"That's not true..." said Fleet. "I'll find a way."

"How?" Fleet turned to his fiancée and pressed her paws with his own. She returned his gaze with awe.

"I don't know yet, but I will. We will be a family someday. A real family. We will wake up in our den together one day, and this'll all be a distant memory. Our connection may be stretched to miles, but our hearts will remain ever closer. I didn't howl with you on Moonlight Howl Rock to quit, and I won't now. Long-distance, short-distance, love transcends it all. And when all is said and done, and we're happy as one again, we'll think of ourselves as idiots for doubting each other. I'd rather be attacked by a trillion bees than lose you or our wonderful little pup. We owe it to the pups that didn't make it. They won't die in vain."

"Fleet...? I need to tell you something."

"Anything, honey."

"When I was in the delivery room, even though the doula told me the damage inside thoroughly, I wasn't feeling that much pain at all. Maybe when I found out the four other little ones were gone, I was so shocked that I was numb, but I believe I was numb 'cause I couldn't... I couldn't imagine how you were feeling. The emotions and thoughts you went through. It must've been torture."

"It had lead me down a dark path for sure. Like I said earlier, I profoundly wronged your father. If I killed him, I wouldn't know what to do with myself aside from turning myself in. Goodness, I can't imagine what your father, the Omega, is thinking right now..."

**The next day...**

The storm raced over the land of the pack. By daybreak, the drizzle grew into pouring rain. No adult wolf liked rain. When drenched, their fur coats would weigh much heavier. The soil would fade to sludge, making a quick stroll virtually impossible. In addition, the gloominess of the sky would negatively affect their moods. Unhappy wolves became more unhappy since they had to sit outside in the weather for Stinky's announcement at Mt. Victory. After he announced the punishment and the ceasing of aid to the North, he allowed Fleet to make one last stop at Humphrey's den before he had to say goodbye to Claudette and her home. Fleet wanted most of all to apologize to his father-in-law. It would help put his mind at ease if Humphrey knew he didn't mean a single thing that he did the last time he was there with him. He was very grateful that the pack leader let him come. Humphrey had just returned to his den from the pack healers', and his condition had improved. Fleet had hardly any knowledge of the extent of his injuries. The beating happened so quickly, he could barely remember the details. Claudette and Stinky came with him, but they both planned to stay outside the cave. This was the river he jumped in. Only he could fight its rapids.

Upon entering, Fleet could see Humphrey being surrounded by a number of Omegas and a few Alphas. He assumed they were friends and relatives. One of them he recognized as the Omega, Mooch, but one wolf he was sure was missing from the gathering was Kate, which did not surprise him. There was a lot of chatter and banter until the other wolves became aware of Fleet's presence. The entire den became dead silent. The Alphas gave the Northerner dirty looks as he progressed towards Humphrey. Is was then that he could see his injuries. Along with a huge gash on one of his front legs, his face was extremely swollen. One of his eyes looked like it could not open against the puffiness, and one of his cheeks was flatter than the other. Fleet tried to take it all in. He was lying on his back with his head placed on a curved tree root that was protruding from the dirt wall. Humphrey, to Fleet's surprise, did not look angry or upset, but he was not smiling either, though one would wonder if he even had the capability.

"They said you'd be coming."

"No rain would stop me from coming... but where do I even begin?" Fleet said forlornly, which made Humphrey lighten his tone.

"Well... just don't be clichéd," he replied. The Alpha nodded.

"Not a precious second goes by without me regretting what happened between us. Even before I learned of the consequences I will face, I know as well as everybody in the den knows that it was reckless of me to let my most powerful emotions rule myself. Letting them take over was detrimental to you and me but especially you. You took my abuse like a tree in a tornado. Simply giving an apology would, of course, not be enough. I need to mean it. Sincerely, mean it." Fleet dropped his head to the floor. "If you don't see tears it's not that I don't care, it's that I've cried so much that I'm empty inside. I'm sure I've hurt not just you but your family: Kate, Eve, Winston from beyond, the pack leader, even Runt, and I've hurt the most important wolves in my life, Claudette and our pup. I can't begin to imagine all their sorrows. This mess is all my fault, and I won't take away any responsibility from myself. With all that said, by the stars, I'm very sorry. Do away with me as you see fit..."

"I'm sorry too," said Humphrey. The Northerner gasped. "I was part of it in some way albeit small, the accident that led to what happened in this den. It was reckless of me to let Claudette on that log. I didn't want you or her to dislike me for the rest of your lives. I rushed into logsledding with both of you 'cause I was in a hurry for us to get along, and plus I was performing risky stunts to give you guys a good experience, so perhaps I would never be a grumpy Omega to you. I think, honestly, I'm the most to blame for the little ones not making it. You guys didn't quite know the dangers yet, but I was fully aware, and I let it happen anyway. Of course, I wasn't expecting you to beat me, but I admit, I helped blow up the dam, so take that for it's worth. I don't believe you're a bad wolf, Fleet. It seems even you were surprised by your own ferocity. As an Omega, I believe all animals are capable of acting peacefully at all times. You just need the correct guidance for self-control to keep your strongest emotions in check so something like this never happens again. Lucky for you, I'm willing to help, but it's on you on whether or not you think you need it. Other wolves, especially Alphas, may disagree with me, but I think if you don't try to give a bad direction a good direction, you'll end up with no direction. Omegas don't hold grudges. Done right, we believe kindness is the most durable and contagious thing there is."

"I don't know what to say... Is it wise for me to accept this mercy...?"

"I'm not being merciful; I'm being wholesome, Fleet. A simple hug would suffice. Actions speak louder than words. But please be careful; you fractured my face, remember?" Humphrey smiled.

The Alpha walked in and gave the Omega a loose hug. Fleet didn't want to forget this. Last night, he practically showed this wolf no mercy in shoving his body to the ground, and now he was laughing and offering to help. It didn't make sense. Omegas, Fleet thought, were incredibly enigmatic, but he wasn't going to revel in being cleared by Humphrey nor falsely ask for pity. He was going to take it seriously for the world's sake and for his pups' sake.

"_I forgive you_," whispered Fleet.

"_I forgive you too._"

**Later...**

An hour after Fleet and Humphrey's friends had departed, Kate, who was dripping wet, came to visit her mate again. She had just come back from hunting the Omega some luscious deer. Deer was said to have the best health benefits of all the meats, and Kate was determined to nurse her mate back to normal. She came later, so she wouldn't be in the same space as Fleet whom she now despised. She could care less if he made the most outspoken apology, Humphrey was everything to her. Fleet wouldn't even be in the United Pack if weren't for their love creating Claudette. Without Humphrey, Kate's life would lose almost all meaning. The fact that the Alpha came within a paw's grasp of taking away the greatest thing that mattered to her, the mere thought, made her heart skip a beat.

"I can't believe I ever defended that wolf," said Kate.

"Be nice, honey."

"Be nice?! Did that beating joggle up your brain? Was he nice to you when blood was leaking out your ears?"

"I'm not trying to justify his actions. I'm just saying if we do nothing to actually help him, who can say with assurance that I'll be the last victim?"

"Oh, I made sure he'll never do it again. That idiot won't be able to sniff his poor pup. The council has banished him. Soon, he'll be out of mind and out of our hair, and we can start focusing on each other." Kate dropped the deer thigh beside him and pressed her paw across his forehead affectionately.

"Banishment? I don't know, Kate," said Humphrey. "I just wanna make sure he's getting help." Kate then kissed him.

"The only one who needs help right now is you. I can't stand seeing you like this. Here, eat this meat."

"I'm not very hungry but thank you."

"Please, just eat it, sweetie. I hunted it just for you. It's been quite the downpour out there."

"*sigh* Alright, Kate... but remember... don't keep feeling sorry for me if I still wake up moons from now with a face like this."

"I only feel bad 'cause I care," Kate remarked.

**Meanwhile...**

It was time. Around the northern outskirts of the territory, Fleet was burying his nostrils into Claudette's golden fur. Stinky watched them hug, kiss, and hug again. It made him shed a small tear. He didn't want to have to exclude Fleet. He helped pair him with Claudette who ended up falling for him. But rules were rules. Fleet was going to return to the North. Stinky's sister could visit him there, but she couldn't live there while their pup was too young to leave the United Pack.

"Even if he was older," said Fleet. "I wouldn't want you to leave your home. At least there's food here."

"Doesn't matter if there's food, doesn't matter if Mom and Dad are here, doesn't matter if it's familiar and I know every tiny creek, tree, and mousehole, you're my home. As long as you're over there, this place will be alien to me. And without you, it will be alien to the pup."

"I love you so much, Claudette."

"I love you too."

"Do me a favor, and tell my sister that I'll miss her and that I hope she's doing well. Also, tell her that I'm proud she can speak again. I heard that Runt helped her."

"Magril? Of course. Where are you going to go exactly?"

"I'm going to my father. My room in his den should still be there."

"How will I know where to find your dad's den?"

"It's in the center of the pack between two trees. Most of the North is flat, but where the den is, there's a bit of a depression. If you need help, you can ask my friends, Alan, Misty, or Rose. They'll tell you."

"Okay... Fleet, can I tell you something else?"

"Guys," said Stinky sternly. "You need to wrap it up. Plus, I can't sit in this weather all day."

"Alright, sir." Fleet grabbed Claudette's paw and kissed it gently. "See you later... Take care of our pup." He then walked over the border and into the thicker part of the forest until he was out of sight. The she-wolf stared into the abyss.

"_I will..._" Claudette whispered.

**Sixteen days later...**

The northern hemisphere was now cradled in warmth. While the mating season was ceasing, wolves of every pack would usually take dips in the ponds and streams to cool themselves, but it seemed this year nature would accommodate. The familiar forbidding winds commenced with the clouds coalescing and darkening, bringing the land between opposing horizons under a cloak of shade. Claudette was on her way to visit Fleet for the third time since his banishment. She wanted to get there before the storm clouds returned, but it was not possible. They enclosed her with light showers, and she found herself struggling to keep a good pace as the ground beneath melted. The North was heavily forested compared to the West; thus, not as much grass grew to strengthen the soil. By the time she made it to Nars's den, her paws were fastened in mud. She walked in and dropped to the floor in exhaustion. Fleet rushed to help.

"Yikes!" he exclaimed before pushing her deeper into the cave. "Thankfully, Dad isn't here to see this."

"*pant* Hey, honey."

"Hi! Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good. Just a longer workout."

"How fun. Heh, heh."

"So your dad isn't here?" Claudette slammed her paws against the wall to break away the clay between her toes.

"No. A lot of the Alphas are gone actually."

"Why?"

"Food's been so scarce they've been hunting nonstop," Fleet explained. "The last reports of any caribou were beyond the Valley, and they've still had no luck over the mountains."

"Really? So nothing's changed."

"I've been staying here out of protest. Our Alphas are killing themselves over those mountains! I've told them over and over again that it's not worth exhausting so much energy climbing thousands of feet. By the time they make it over, I hear that they're so tired that hunting becomes impossible. They no longer have the energy to chase the caribou and that's assuming if they found any. I've told them to look into other alternatives, but you know they won't listen to me."

"I know... they still rail on you about Humphrey."

"As if I don't feel bad enough... they're still blaming me for the food shortage since the aid ended."

"Are you still gathering fruits?"

"Yes, and vegetables. See?" Fleet directed Claudette to the small pile of apples, blueberries, nectarines, onions, and pine tree bark in the back end of the cave.

"This is ridiculous, Fleet. Wolves can't run on plants forever. I think this is only going to get worse. In the beginning, it was bad but now it's dangerous. Look at you! You've been getting really thin! Why don't you and your dad move to the South?"

"I can't leave my home to die. I'm a Northerner, not a Southerner," Fleet maintained.

"But you're also my special one first."

"You're right, and that's why I'm determined to live, but my packmates are family too, no matter how much they ridicule me. I can't just abandon them. I have to try."

"Fine." Claudette took one look at the ground and regurgitated some of her breakfast. "I know I'm not allowed to aid you, but if I come here again and see more of your ribs, I'm going to weep."

"Claudette... Your puke isn't necessary."

"Neither was your separation from John," Claudette retorted.

"Speaking of that, how's Little E?" Fleet asked passionately.

"Well, you wouldn't believe how cute he's getting. His eyes and ears are open now, and we've just weaned him. He's sooo handsome. I love him a lot."

Fleet let out a loud sigh and sat next to the wall. His fiancée edged closer and licked his face before any tears developed. The Alpha was experiencing a pain no other wolf in the Valley did.

"I'm missing out on so much... *sniff* I assume he's already speaking?" Claudette replied with a nod. "He's probably wondering to himself if he even has a father."

"He's not," the she-wolf assured. "His fur has the colors of both you and me and, whenever Eve is not in the den, I tell him the truth about you, the good and the bad. Or at least I try to... I censor it, obviously. Plus he's really quiet."

"I'm not sure how I feel about Eve taking my place and living with you and Little E," said Fleet.

"It was Mom's idea. I don't like it either, but Grandma Eve isn't someone I wanna pick a fight with. On the bright side, since she's the best healer there is, she knows how to deal with his... condition... pretty well."

"How many seizures has he had this week?"

"Um, I think five."

"*sigh* Goodness... that's two more than the week before."

"We're doing our best. We keep an extra pelt in the den now. It's away from everything. Whenever he has an episode, we put him on it, so he can convulse quietly in the corner without hurting himself. His episodes usually only last about three minutes."

"_It's three minutes too much_," Fleet muttered.

"There's nothing we can do about it, honey. I think it's time we accept this as part of John. It's like what you said earlier. We must educate him on how special he is."

"You're right again, and please stop calling him John. It's the worst name the council could possibly give him. It's Evander," he reminded.

"Ugh, I'm sorry, honey. Everybody at home calls him John or Johnny, so I get too used to it... but yeah that name's ugly."

"Thank you. The less I'm reminded of the incident with Humphrey the better. How's your father anyway?"

"He's fine, though he's vowed to never logsled again after his friends took him down a slope for the first time since the accident."

"Wow. That's quite a statement coming from him, the inventor of the sport. I wonder how Mooch feels about it."

"I know. Also, he just came from another appointment with the pack healers yesterday, probably the last he needed. They're pretty certain that the shape of Humphrey's face is permanent. They told Mom that the bones in his skull are fusing back together but not in its original way as hoped. She was pretty upset." Claudette then noticed Fleet regressing into his depressive state.

"_What have I done...?_"

"Oh, crap! I reminded you, didn't I? I'm so sorry."

"It's fine, Claudette... There's been too many apologies this past moon..." Suddenly a large thunderclap shook the cave.

"Well... I'm not heading back anytime soon. Let's lay down together. We haven't had alone time like this in forever."

"Claudette... please... you don't deserve me..." The she-wolf inched closer to the Alpha. She frowned and bit her lip before vehemently slapping him across the face, causing him to breathe heavily.

"Fleet... stop... just stop. I know what this is about... You've been this way since the incident... You're not a bad wolf... I promise... I don't know how many times I gotta say it. You're my special one and nothing else. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. If I thought you weren't worth it, I wouldn't have trekked through a hurricane just to say hi... I know your mind is caught in a fuzzy mess 'cause of what happened, but I need you to be yourself 'cause that's who I fell in love with, enough to bring Little E into this world, and don't you dare say he was a mistake 'cause you'd be lying to yourself, and I didn't accept a marriage proposal from a liar, didn't I? Ask yourself this: if you think you're a psychopath, why deny your partner when she knows deep within you you want to embrace her? Hm?" Fleet sobbed over his fiancé's shoulders. "_C'mon, baby,_" Claudette cooed as she rubbed his back. "_I want to lie down with you... please...? You're my mate, remember? May I lie down with my one and only mate?_" He continued to sob until she came up with an idea. "_Baby, would howling make you feel better...? Let's howl, okay? Hm? Remember our song at the Moonlight Howl? Do you remember the title?_"

"_For-... Forev-... _*sniff*_ Forevermore...?_"

"_Yeah, that's right, honey. Let's howl, okay...? I'll start. You can join in at any point, 'kay? Is that alright?_" Fleet nodded slowly. "_Everything will be fine. Everything..._" Claudette lifted her muzzle upwards and howled softly to him. She hoped by revitalizing his memories of their best moments it would remind him of his innocence.

**(Howling Starts)**

**[Claudette]**

**For the times I felt so sad**

**Just the thought of you made me feel so glad**

**I... was all alone!**

**. . .**

**When the going's gone too bad**

**I wonder what I could have had**

**I... was searching for you!**

**. . .**

**On the day when I saw your face!**

**I knew it was an unfair race!**

**You deserve much better than me!**

**But you're... my ecstasy...**

**. . .**

**[Fleet]**

**'Cause of the conflicts I was feelin'**

**I thought I'd just go with the seasons**

**I... was so lonely!**

**. . .**

**I need someone to keep me on track**

**Even though I can't pay back**

**I... was all in debt!**

**. . .**

**I need a voice to tell me yes!**

**I need a soul to help me with the rest!**

**I know my conscience isn't clear!**

**But I don't... want... to drown in fear...**

**. . .**

**[Claudette]**

**Our love is destined to last**

**The mistakes we made are in the past**

**We... are... one!**

**. . .**

**[Fleet]**

**The fate that we know we share**

**The love that we have is rare**

**We... are... unison!**

**. . .**

**[Claudette & Fleet]**

**As the sands of time go by!**

**All I wanted to say to you was 'hi'!**

**I want to become what we've never been before!**

**I want to be with you forevermore...**

**. . .**

**Forevermore... Forevermore...**

**Forevermore... Forevermore...**

**Forevermore... Forevermore!**

**The love we have.. is our lord!**

**(Howling Stops)**

As the storm raged on, the couple laid close together in the den for the next eleven hours, and as they laid together for so long, they grew together, their love strengthening into an unbreakable force to be reckoned with. The thunder and lightning only soothed them as background noise while their bond stiffened like the tightening of a knot. Their hearts pulsated in unison. Their minds focused on pleasing themselves by pleasing each other. Every time she would inhale, he would exhale, and every time he would inhale, she would exhale. Soon their eyes closed and they napped, dreaming of better days ahead. And for the first time in a long time, Fleet blushed and smiled uncontrollably. The she-wolf knew him too well...

As a result, for the rest of his life, Fleet would never again doubt Claudette.

**Later...**

The rain subsided to petty sprinkles, but the clouds above remained thick, the earth drenched with puddles scattered throughout. Before Claudette left to go back to the West, she and Fleet took the opportunity to quietly bathe together in a clear pond nearby. Although it was not pretty outside, Fleet was glad Claudette would return to her home somewhat cleaner. He knew she was returning to their son, and the Northerner hoped that Little E would recognize his father's thick scent on Claudette.

Fleet wanted to meet his son badly. To him, the terrible longing for his pup felt like he had one of his paws buried deep in the dirt but he couldn't yet lift it out, and the circulation between his paw and the rest of his body was waning. Given enough time, the connection will cease to exist as both parts diverge to different paths, eventually to the point when they will both be unaware of each other. This was one of Fleet's greatest fears. He brought Little E into the world for a reason. He wanted to father a pup, to experience the mountainous terrain that was fatherhood; it meant being in his life, guiding him to learn from past mistakes, to create something new and totally his own in nature. He wanted to teach him how to hunt. He wanted to like the stuff he liked. He wanted to be in his domain until it was time for him to venture out. But the only wolf Fleet could blame for missing out was himself. No matter how unfair the council could be, Fleet had put the stone into motion, and there was no turning back. At this point, he had accepted his blunder and his forced absence from his son, but it didn't make the suffering any less agonizing, and he was confident it would last for as long as he and his son stayed apart. Regardless, Fleet realized he must look to his future.

He planned to stay at the Northern Pack, but it was a dying pack. In the neighbor's den ten feet away, he heard sad murmuring coming from inside. Curious, he went inside and found a crowd of wolves gathered around one elderly wolf that was clearly dying from starvation. He laid on his back and made almost no sound. He was so thin some detail of his internal organs could be seen through the skin. The other wolves in the crowd didn't fare much better.

"Look... His breathing is getting worse," said one of them. "Poor Harvey." Fleet recognized the name.

"I know this wolf," said Fleet. "He's the father of one of my exes. She left this den a long time ago, and I thought he went with her. I guess not..."

All of a sudden, the other wolves started sniffing the air. Someone was coming.

"Fleet! Is that you?" the newcomer asked. To Fleet's surprise, it was his father, Nars. "What's going on here?"

"Dad, it's our neighbor, Harvey. The famine has hit him hard. I don't think he's going to make it."

"No," said the wolf closest to Harvey. "His heart has stopped. He's no more."

The whole den gasped and exchanged expressions of disappointment and sorrow. They decided to howl a short hymn in his honor. The Northerners were known to be the toughest in the Valley, their strength and courage unmatched, but to see the once great pack rendered powerless, it didn't seem real. To some in the North, the termination of aid was seen as a declaration of war, and Fleet was worried that it was only a matter of time before one wolf would act on it as such.

**Meanwhile...**

Claudette arrived at her den quickly. She had traveled fast so she wouldn't go over the curfew Eve made for her. The curfew was one of many rules that annoyed Claudette since Eve started living at her den. Among not being able to be away from the pup past dusk, she wasn't allowed to give him meat from bison or musk ox, play fetch or keep-away with him, and Little E wasn't allowed outside. The rule that annoyed her the most was that she wasn't allowed to talk to him about his father. Claudette suspected her grandma's newfound strictness had something to do with her late mate, Winston, but, whatever the cause, the young she-wolf was always agitated whenever she was home. She didn't mind Eve's help with the pup's condition, but she felt she had no free will. With her grandmother instead of her special one, days became dull and sluggish and stale hours dragged into boredom. She figured at some point she would rise up to give Eve a piece of her mind. After all, it was _her_ den. But she didn't want to be rude in front of the pup nor cause a rift between them. They both had the same goal, to give Little E the best life possible, and she thought, for now, she would stomach the rules, at least while Eve was around her. Claudette had expanded her den a moon ago to accommodate Fleet, but the new space was being used by the annoying occupant. More recently, she made another space for Little E as well and as she entered her home, she could see Eve and the pup in their respective rooms.

"I'm back."

"About time," Eve insinuated.

"What? It's not dusk yet." Her son rushed over to her, and she gave him an ardent hug. "Hey, Little E! You okay?"

"Missed you, Mommy..."

"Awwwww... It's okay, bud. Mommy's here to stay. Want me to sleep with you tonight?"

"Yes, please."

"Oh, and I brought you a little somethin'." Claudette then dropped a small crystal from her mouth. The pup examined it before picking it up.

"Thank you, Mommy!" The pup took the crystal to his room and deposited it on top of his collection that he kept close to his pelt. His mother found his fascination with minerals very strange. What did a wolf have any use for a bunch of shiny rocks? But she wasn't going to dampen his unique passion. Perhaps it was art. Claudette loved art. To her, the pup was a work of art. He didn't smile often, but she adored seeing it. She loved seeing his handsome face. Admittedly, partly because it reminded her of her precious other half. But everything else in him was special and captivating in its own right. It was the one thing that kept her sane in the company of monotony.

"I don't get it. What could possibly take up so much time?" Eve whined. "I was worried that maybe you weren't going to come back."

"Relax. Everything's fine," Claudette assured.

"And who's Little E?"

"Oh, son of a reindeer's tush! Sorry. I was talking about John."

"Wait a minute, you went to Fleet again, didn't you?!"

"I said relax, Grandma Eve."

"Ohhh, I knew it!"

"I can't visit my fiancé?"

"That excuse of a wolf is not worth visiting."

"Hey!" the she-wolf growled. "_Evander can hear us!_"

"It's John, Claudette."

"_With all due respect, ma'am, I'd like to use the name I gave him!_" Eve then stood up.

"Not in this den, not in this pack. And I know _you_ didn't come up with that name. Fleet did. He's a menace! One would wonder if he really loves you."

The young mother was ready to explode on her elder, but she took a deep breath and regained composure. She whispered so Little E would not hear their conversation.

"_Don't ever dare suggest my son is... _*clears throat*_ an accident..._"

"_It's a simple calculus. Wolves who have the capacity to love don't beat up other wolves. You spent the whole day fondling with a convicted criminal! Think about that! His throat should be stuffed with own entrails!_"

"_You know what I think?! I think about the Northerners and the fact that we're letting them out to die! There are plenty pups there who could be dying, and we're just sitting here doing nothin' about it! And the father of my son is there doin' his best to survive and care for his dear homeland, his dear packmates, even when it seems all is lost! If that isn't love, I don't know what is._"

"_Of course he cares for his fellow crooks. The Northerners, they did nothing for us when we had a famine years ago! It was especially bad in the East, and we were on the brink of war with them! Winston and I almost lost your mother in a stampede caused by our clash. All would've been avoided if it weren't for the North's inaction._"

"_Eve, that was a generation ago! Fleet wasn't even born! Look, neither he nor I can speak for past Alphas, but I'm talking about now... right now! I just want to have a family._"

"_You do have a family, dear. You have me and Kate and Humphrey._"

"_But it's not a family without my special one..._"

"*sigh* _Claudette, I know what it's like to lose your beloved. You know that I do._"

"_It's not the same. Mine is still around, and whether you like it or not, I'm going to see him again... and again... and again._"

"_Hmm... Then this conversation isn't over._"

Claudette then defiantly left Eve's room. She decided it was time to put Little E to sleep. Along the way, she passed by the crude drawing on the wall that her father made with berry juice. It was a picture of her mother and Humphrey with her and her brothers when they were small. Over time the juice faded, and Claudette could no longer tell what the drawing actually was, but she knew from memory that it was the family she grew up with. She looked at the drawing for a solid minute before dismissing it. It was the past. It was time to start a new family, one that she was proud of creating, one that was complete with every member accounted for. For now, all Claudette had was a Northerner scent that became embedded in her own. And some of that scent had passed down to Evander, embedded in his genetics. But the source of either was too far away to bear.

"Alright, sweetie. It's gettin' dark."

"Okay, Mommy."

"Here... Scooch over." Claudette dropped down beside him.

"Hey, Mommy?"

"Yeah?"

"Am I in trouble?"

"Nooo... You're not in trouble. Eve... well... she doesn't like your father."

"Did he do something bad? That's what Eve said."

"*sigh* He did... but it isn't anything you need to know right now. All you need to know is that he loves you, and he can't wait to see you."

"I don't wanna see him."

"Now don't say that, sweetie..."

"I don't," the pup said bitterly. "I don't wanna... I just want you." His mother exhaled loudly with acknowledgment and cheerlessness.

"Okay, son..." She wrapped her body around him and laid her head next to his malformed right ear.

That night, Claudette physically distanced herself from the pup. For hours, she kept twisting and turning and trying hard to close her eyes. Sleep became out of reach as her mind would not ease. The moonlight gleamed in the cave with dins of noisy insects echoing carelessly, the shadows of tall grass from outside dancing on the walls. Nighttime seemed more active than ever. An immeasurable amount of yearning permeated her. The unfulfillment of her heart persisted, provoking a sense of coldness that pervaded. It was a summer night marked by frigid sensations.

**The next morning...**

Right when Claudette was beginning to feel the slightest hint of drowsiness, an early howl stimulated her. It was Humphrey. She found his presence odd given that her father didn't visit her in her home often. His daughter had no idea why he came. One would think that proceeding through heavily humid air in the dark would be beyond unbearable. Perhaps the knowledge he wanted to share transcended his journeying preferences. The she-wolf wondered what was so important. Surely, it was not something normal since Omegas seldom had anything of substance to do.

"_Dad?_"

"*pant* _Hey, Claudette. Sorry to wake you up so early. I know it's still dark out._"

"_No, no, it's fine. I was having trouble sleeping anyway. Is there something you need?_"

"_No. _*pant*_ I just wanted to talk to you in private... about Fleet_._ I know how you feel about him, so I wanted to help you._"

"_Help me?_" The mere mention of her loved one yanked her ears. After realizing Little E and Eve were still asleep, she quietly stood up to meet him. He then continued to talk breathlessly.

"_Well, actually I want to help Fleet, but this would put your mind at rest too. _*pant*_ I know you would appreciate it._"

"_Really? What is it?_" she pressed.

"_I don't think it's fair... _*pant*_ that Fleet shouldn't see his pup once... _*pant*_ nor do I think John should be unaware of who his father is. Basically what I'm tryin' to say is_—_"_

_"You want Fleet to meet his son!" she blurted._

_"Exactly!"_

"_But... how is that even gonna be possible?_"

"_Throughout the night, I've been reading through the Bone Archives, and I think I've found a loophole. Fleet can't enter the United Pack; however, with the pack leader's permission, we can take John to the North just as long as we return him before nightfall. According to the Archives, that's what the law says is possible._"

"_Wow... I... I don't know what to say..._" Claudette shook her head in disbelief. She was unsure if it was appropriate to be excited.

"_Say nothing. Let's just go to Stinky and get this done._"

"_Should I get my son?_"

"_Not yet,_" said Humphrey. "_He should get some more sleep. We'll come back for him. C'mon, Claudette!_"

"_Okay!_"

Scurrying through more rain, the two wolves ascended up Mt. Victory to the royal den that was near the summit. Little did they know beforehand that they would be disappointed to find it full of nothingness, nothingness if you didn't include the precious stones, invaluable bones, and luxurious triple-layered pelts decorating the entire residence. All the two wolves cared about was the male who inherited the antiques. He was missing. Where was Stinky?

Close by, Claudette detected an unforgettable face yawning next to a good-sized tree, a face she had not seen since the Moonlight Howl. She totally forgot that Kyle had been appointed as Stinky's second-in-command. It appeared he was on guard. When she progressed in his direction, Kyle looked fearful but flinty. They exchanged awkward glances for a moment before speaking.

"Claudette."

"Kyle," she replied just as firmly

"Hey Kyle," said Humphrey. "You wouldn't happen to know where Stinky went, would you?"

"Last time I saw him, he said he was going to visit his brother."

"_Runt,_" Claudette muttered.

"Okay, thanks!" her father expressed.

They then walked their way to Runt's den. It would be their first time there. While most Westerns lived on and around Mt. Victory, Runt chose to have a secluded place to himself in the Western plains. Claudette once vowed to herself to never go anywhere near where Runt lived, fearing that such a place would be unquestionably revolting and nose-burning. Ever since the start of last winter Runt had a poor habit of dismissing hygiene. At one time he embraced a fetid persona, asserting the stench he carried as an accomplishment until neighbors living miles away complained enough. Supposedly, two moons ago he agreed to mitigate the odor, but Claudette wasn't taking chances with the brother she had the more fights with. Before they even got close to the den, Claudette prayed that the vicinity wasn't covered in feces and urine... or that Magril wasn't either.

But as the den came into view as they crossed over a short hill, they encountered a very different place than what other wolves described. There was no urine, no feces, or mud in sight, and no flowers that wilted. There also were not very many puddles around. It actually seemed uncharacteristically decent. Perhaps he did change his ways unbeknownst to the doubters. But before Claudette could declare the area clean, a single scent made Humphrey guilty, enthused, yet worrisome, an inducement notable for the visible shivers sent down her father's spine.

"I know that smell!" Humphrey exclaimed. "Oh, goodness gracious, son..."

"Well, howdy, folks! Welcome to my humble abode!" said Runt, exiting his den.

"Runt! Have you been eating fermented berries?!"

"I'll tell you what, Dad... you sure know how to raise an Omega right. Heh, heh."

"He's definitely drunk," said Claudette.

"Tipsy," Runt corrected. "If I was really drunk, I would fly to the moon and back."

"Whatever. I'll give you credit that this place is nicer than I thought it was gonna be. Where's Magril? I thought she was staying with you now?"

"She's here," Runt replied.

"Did someone call me?" Magril walked into the sunlight, almost tripping over herself as she went to Runt's side. Her new look took Claudette and Humphrey aback.

"Woah," said Humphrey. "She's like a female version of Mooch."

"Oh, gosh. Don't tell me she's expecting," Claudette groaned.

"What? Nooo," said Runt. "That is one hundred percent nourishment. You know, sis', there's no such thing as overindulgence when it comes to gluttony."

"I don't know 'bout that, bro. With you, I don't know what's real. I'm just glad you two seemed to be hitting it off. That's fine, I think... But anyway, we're looking for Stinky. Kyle said he was going to visit you."

"Oh, right. Yeahhh, our brother said he was planning to visit me. He never stopped by though."

"What?" said Humphrey.

"Yeah, but his girlfriend did... just to let me know he wasn't coming."

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, did I just hear what I just heard?!" said Claudette, widening her eyes.

"Runt, I think you're pulling our tail. Stinky never said anything about a girlfriend," Humphrey added.

"If he actually has one... wow, I'm impressed but Dad's right," the she-wolf emphasized. "He never said anything about a significant other. How did _you_ know he had one?"

"I didn't until she came to my den earlier."

"What did she say?" Humphrey questioned.

"She said Stinky wasn't going to come over to my den 'cause they were gonna have a 'special moment' together near the Grand Lake, and they didn't want to be disturbed. If ya ask me, sounds like they goin' to make love."

"That's very strange," said Claudette. "I know Stinky to the bone, and I've never thought of him as the 'let's-get-it-on' type. That's you, Runt."

"I was thinkin' the same!" Runt added. "He's generally asexual. It's kinda sad, really."

"Something's fishy," said Humphrey.

"I'll say," said Magril. Claudette turned to her.

"Magril, you weren't even listening to our conversation."

"I know. It's just ever since Runt helped me regain the confidence to speak again, I just like sayin' words! Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!"

"We should go to the lake," Humphrey suggested. "There's no way he's making love let alone out in the open on the beach where the whole world can see him. I just don't trust it."

"Yes, let's go. See ya later, bro. And stay off the berries, please." Claudette waved her left forepaw.

"Bye, sis'. I hope Stinky is okay."

"Same," said Magril. Runt turned to his girlfriend.

"Now, my beautiful sunflower, where were we?"

**Later...**

Claudette and Humphrey hiked southward to the enormous body of water that was located between the Southern Pack and the rest of the Valley. Their paws were beginning to ache, but they persisted to the lakefront where the air picked up in speed along the tumultuous waves. They scanned around the shore to find Stinky, but the wolf was apparently absent.

"I don't see him," said Humphrey. "Doesn't surprise me. It's usually beautiful on the shore, but I'm sure these past few days have been as icky here as everywhere else. What wolf would want to make love on a wet beach without the sun shining and the waters calm?"

"Where could he have gone?" Claudette wondered aloud. That's when she noticed a dark grey male running parallel to the beach towards them. He ran at a pace so fast that his paws propelled sand in the air with each step. The wolf was determined by the look of his face, a face Claudette was able to identify.

"Oh, my gosh! It's Austin of all wolves!"

"Who's Austin?" asked Humphrey.

"He's an acquaintance of mine."

"Hey, wolves!" Austin shouted.

"Let me guess, you've found the pack leader?"

"How'd you know?"

"We've been looking for him," said Claudette. "Where is he, Austin?"

"I found him tucked under a bush a couple hundred yards down the shoreline, westward. He needs help! He's badly injured!"

"Uh, no..." said Claudette. Her heart dropped like a boulder.

The three wolves went to the bush where Stinky lay in a crippled state. There, Claudette and Humphrey broke to pieces. Stinky had a huge gash on his neck. His eyes were stale and almost lifeless. His extremities were twitching correspondingly to his diminished heartbeat. He seemed on the border between life and death, balancing on it like a rock slab wobbling on a pebble. Claudette neared him, trying to keep him conscious with all the comfort, relief, and counseling she could offer.

"Stinky! Stinky! It's us! Stinky! Stay with me, bro!" The pack leader was so weak that his lips were failing to move. His eyes were half-open, and Claudette could feel his pulse weakening. The storm over them began to roar, wildly shaking the vegetation. It only added to the blurriness of senses Stinky was receiving.

"No! Not my son!" Humphrey cried.

"Stinky, I need you to tell me who did this to you!" said Claudette. Luckily he managed to squeeze out one proper noun.

"Mir-... Miranda..."

"Who's Miranda?" said Humphrey.

"It must've been that girlfriend Runt was talking about! She did this!" Claudette cried.

"I saw her!" said Austin. "I was nearby when she left the scene!"

"There's an assailant on the loose!" Claudette cried again. "Humphrey, take Stinky to Eve—she'll know what to do—and notify everybody! Have Kyle put all our Alphas on alert! Austin, you and I are going to track down and neutralize this she-wolf! My gut tells me this is a Rogue that tried to assassinate my brother! We're goin' in pursuit!"

"Okay!" Humphrey and Austin replied in unison.

While Claudette and Austin ran back into the forest to track the mysterious Miranda, Humphrey carefully put Stinky on his back and carried him all the way to Claudette's den where Eve could heal him. Stinky was Humphrey's eldest pup, the one who succeeded Winston as leader of the pack. Although Humphrey couldn't relate to the mind of an Alpha on a personal level, there was still a piece of Humphrey inside Stinky. Humphrey didn't want to lose that part of himself. Stinky was a part of him like the rest of his pups were. They each held an equal slice of his heart. It was worth it carrying his adult son across the pack because, not only was it his son, but Stinky, as pack leader, would do the same for any of his citizens. Humphrey never imagined raising a successful ruler. Not in a million years... but he was very proud of his eldest and what he accomplished. And this ultimately made Humphrey wonder why anyone would consider assassinating someone so down-to-Earth and popular.

Immediately upon arrival, all it took was one look from Eve for her to understand the situation. Blood was running down Humphrey's back. Stinky looked practically asleep.

"Oh, my goodness! Put him in the den NOW!" The Omega gently lowered his son to the floor. Eve began to examine his injuries, poking through his wounds. Meanwhile, the clouds started to rumble again. "This isn't good. Whoever did this had received some unique teachings... deadly teachings."

"Can you help him, Eve?! We're talking about our pack leader here!"

"If he was here half an hour earlier, I would have a better handle on things, but he's losing consciousness! The damage is considerably extensive... I doubt any of his major arteries were cut, but since he didn't receive treatment immediately after the struggle ended, blood from lesser arteries are pouring out. First things first, we need to stop the bleeding! Humphrey, I need you to go find the closest proten tree and rip off some large pieces of bark off it. They're flexible enough to bandage his neck. After you get the bark, soak it in some water before giving it to me. Got it? And I need you to hurry! Time is of the essence."

"Yes, ma'am! I also have to warn the pack about the wolf that did this, so please bear with me! Make sure he hangs in there!" Humphrey went back outside. At the same time, Stinky started to recover his voice.

"Grandma Eve... Is that you?"

"Yes, dear. It's your old granny, Eve. Can you tell me what happened to you?"

"We... we had an argument, I think... She strangled me then ran... and... *cough, cough!*"

"Okay, that's enough. That's all I needed to know. Save your strength."

"Ms. Eve?" said a tiny voice. "What's going on? I'm scared." Claudette's pup peeked out of his room.

"Oh, dear," said Eve. "I forgot you were in here. John, sweetie, you must go back to your room."

"You told me my dad beat up my mom's dad. Did he do this too?" The question took Eve by surprise. She looked back at Stinky in a split-second before stepping close to her grandpup.

"_Yes... your father did do this._" Tears tumbled down the pup's face. He dropped his head toward the ground and stared at his wee paws. "_I know it's unfortunate, but things like this happen. I will protect you though. Now, I need you to go back to your room while your uncle is being healed. This is no sight for a young one. Please? Can you do that for me?_"

"Yes, ma'am... *sniff*"

"_Thank you, John. I love you._"

The pup returned to his room where he cried out of earshot on his soft pelt. He couldn't believe his father was a monster. Harming one wolf was something, but harming another confirmed that his father was no good. The pup started to believe he was a monster too. He was related to the menace, its blood coursing through his minuscule veins and its face resembling his. He didn't want to hurt a fly let alone a wolf. He figured he must be dangerous too. It was only a matter of time before his inner evil awakened to claim another unlucky victim. The screams of said victim rippled throughout the pup's head; he could sense a future where he would have no choice but to give in to the demons implanting their vile commands.

The pup continued hyperventilating. The only way to spare everybody from his eventual wrath was to run far, far away. He peeked out the den again and noticed Eve's back was turned. She was busy using a bundle of pelts to clean up the blood that was beginning to pool on the den floor. The pup tiptoed through the main chamber and walked outside for the first time in his life. At first, he was frightened to touch the plants, but then he remembered the safety of the world was at stake. He winced whenever he felt the spiky tops of the grass as he careened under the trees. The rain started to intensify. The outside world appeared scary as he thought himself was but it was necessary to go through. He was more scared of turning on his family, coldly attacking them. His mother meant the most to his heart. Leaving her was guaranteed to hurt. But leaving her was better than beating her to a pulp. Despite the booming thunder and the chaotic gusts blowing leaves and debris around his space, he continued onward to the unknown.

**Meanwhile...**

Claudette and Austin were getting close to their suspect. Tracking was easy since the mud was especially good at showing prints. But Claudette thought something was odd.

"The smell of this wolf is weird. It's like three wolves in one."

"It may be how wolves outside the Valley smell like. It's confirmation that she's a Rouge," said Austin.

"Perhaps... but, if I remember history class correctly, weren't Rouges originally Eastern wolves? Shouldn't that mean that they should smell predominantly Eastern? This one smells like a Northerner, an Eastern, and a Western. Ya think there were three different wolves—a coalition—that ambushed Stinky?"

"Nope. I know what I saw. I only spotted one wolf beside the pack leader, a reddish brown female. She ran away as I approached the site. I will say though, her pawprints look familiar."

"They look familiar too..."

Eventually, the line of pawprints the wolves followed looked compressed, suggesting the suspect had slowed down. It was clear the suspect falsely realized that she was no longer being followed. The two wolves took advantage of this by setting up a plan to ambush her. They tracked her down to a large pond where she was drinking calmly. Claudette took the position on the right side of the suspect, and Austin took the left. Once in positions, they could see each other through the suspect's legs. Austin then flickered his right ear as a signal to Claudette to start a silent countdown to three on when to jump. After Claudette flicked her left ear three times, they pounced on the she-wolf and pinned her, making her back upside-down.

"You're under arrest, Miranda!" said Claudette.

"Ahh, stop, don't look at me!" the suspect yelled. She tried to cover her face with her forelegs. That's when Claudette noticed her face was covered in some sort of clay and dirt. It seemed the rain was eroding it away.

"A cover, huh? Let's see who we're dealing with." Claudette wiped off the makeshift mask. The two wolves gasped. "*gasp!* IT'S ANN!"

"Ann?! What?!" said Austin.

"Well, this is awkward," said Ann.

"So much for starting over as friends," said Claudette. "First you tried to take my fiancé, and now you're trying to kill the pack leader?! Talk about a natural progression!"

"If only you would understand why I did what I did!" said Ann.

"Why did you do it?!" Claudette questioned.

"Mom?" said a tiny voice nearby. Claudette looked to her right and instantly became flabbergasted when she saw her son standing a few yards away. She had never seen him outside before and it shocked her to see him alone.

"Little E? What are you doing here?!"

"Little pup, get outta' here!" yelled Austin.

But while Claudette and Austin were distracted, Ann retracted her hind legs then greatly stretched them, kicking the two off her. She then got back on all fours and grabbed the pup by the scruff, causing him to scream out of pure terror. The assailant ran as fast as she could and was gone within milliseconds; however, the pup's voice could be heard getting fainter and fainter. Claudette panicked tremendously and sprinted after Ann.

"OH, NO! SHE HAS MY SON! COME ON, AUSTIN!"

"She's heading north!" he replied.

**Later...**

Fleet rested in his father's den. Nars was on another hunting trip, and Fleet was exhausted from trying to share his fruits and vegetables to the pack. He looked out the mouth of the den. The tenacity of the storm annoyed him, but he weirdly admired it. If only he had the ability to have such endurance. Maybe the Northern Pack wouldn't seem as hopeless as it was starting to be. It still believed it could be saved, but when doubt reaches reality, perseverance is rendered meaningless. His neighbors were gone, his friends drained of energy. There were no more lively howls. There were no more boastful chants that the Northerners were famous for. It didn't look like the summer. It looked comparable to a day in the middle of winter where bleakness and tedium knew no boundaries.

For weeks, there was no activity of any kind... until a wolf carrying a pup entered the territory. Fleet thought it was strange. Nobody would be running since the food shortage depleted everyone's energy. Then he noticed the wolf was running directly towards him. He thought somebody needed him, so he stood up and walked outside, but the she-wolf was not stopping. He began to feel something was off. In a flash, the wolf jammed one of her front toes into an area between his left shoulder and his neck. It sent a sharp tingling pain that made him fall to his elbows and knees; it was a nerve pinch. She then got on top of his back and held her claws close to his throat. When Claudette and Austin made it to the scene, they stopped in their tracks.

"Fleet!" Claudette yelled.

"Claudette?! Austin?! What are you doing here?! And who is this she-wolf?!"

"Fleet, that's Ann! Remember her from the hunting trip?!"

"Ann? That's you?!"

"In the flesh," Ann replied.

"Is that your pup?" Fleet asked.

"It's not hers," said Claudette. "It's..." She didn't want to tell Fleet it was his pup with Ann present. If Ann knew Little E was their pup, Claudette couldn't predict what would happen. Ann had attacked Claudette just because she wanted Fleet for herself. If Ann's feelings for Fleet still existed, she would probably have an explosive reaction. It was too big to risk with the pup in Ann's paws. "She's taken a hostage, Fleet. It seems your a hostage too."

"Actually, I have a proposition for Fleet," said Ann.

"And what might that be?" Claudette asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Marry me or else the pup dies!"

"Ann, honey, stop!" Austin intervened. "This isn't the wolf I once loved." Claudette remembered he used to date Ann back at the beginning of last spring. "This isn't the wolf that asked me out before the Moonlight Howl! That wolf wouldn't kill a pup! Can't you hear yourself? That's crazy talk!"

"Don't 'honey' me! We were nothing! Clearly, you don't know me AT ALL!"

"She's right, Austin," said Claudette. "You don't know her..."

"Now I'm not gonna ask you again, Fleet!" said Ann. She snapped at his ear, causing it to bleed.

"Oww!"

"Marry me... or the pup gets it!" Fleet looked at the pup.

"I'm sorry that this is happening, lad..." The pup seemed too scared to reply. He was trembling as he dangled from Ann's muzzle.

"Do it, Fleet," Claudette demanded.

"But, sweetie, you're my special one, right?"

"You are but this pup needs to live his life. It's not fair and you know that."

"I love you, Claudette."

"I love you too, Fleet."

"Okay, I'll do it," Fleet said to Ann.

"Finally!" Ann exclaimed. "I'll live at your den! The pup will stay here."

"What?!" said Claudette. "That's not part of the deal!"

"You think I'm an idiot?! If I let the pup go, I have no sway over Fleet! No, he's coming with me! You and Austin better get lost! I can kill you guys too if I need to! You're lucky I'm nice..."

"Try me, Ann!" said Claudette. "I'm the daughter of Kate! I'm not letting Fleet leave my sight!" Ann started scratching Fleet's neck.

"Ahhh!"

"Okay! Stop!" screamed Claudette. "Come on, Austin, let's go... She's won for now..."

"If I can't have Fleet, no one will!" Ann declared.

"Not if we can help it!" said a feminine voice from seemingly nowhere.

"Who said that?!" said Ann.

"Over here, silly!" Ann got off of Fleet while simultaneously dropping the pup and turned around. On top of Nars's den, Fleet's sister stood confidently, bearing her teeth.

"Magril?!"

"You know me?" said Magril.

"Yes! How did you learn to speak again?!"

"Well, sometimes in life you just gotta look up."

Suddenly a howl could be heard above Ann's head. Then an Omega named Runt fell from the trees and landed directly on Ann's back, causing her feet to slip from under her and her ribcage to slam into the ground. The landing also made a huge splash in the mud and it sent wet dirt flying every which way. Ann let out a bloodcurdling shriek of pain.

"AHHHHHHH! SON OF A... AHHHH! THE PAIN! THE PAIN! MAKE IT STOP!" It was clear to the wolves that she had a fractured rib. She stumbled until she fell on her side in the grass. Fleet quickly got up and cradled the pup who was still shaking with fear.

"It's okay, little one... Fleet's got ya."

Claudette, Austin, Magril, and Runt approached the now defeated Ann whose face looked a little different.

"Wait a minute," said Fleet. He started sniffing the air. "*sniff, sniff* Alice...? Is... is that you?"

Ann didn't respond right away. She simply cried while she held her chest with one of her forepaws.

"Alice? Who's Alice?" said Claudette.

"That name has no meaning to me anymore," Ann sobbed.

"Alice was my old neighbor," said Fleet. "We were friends since puppyhood. Our parents would often set up play sessions between us. I even dated her back in late Alpha School, but I haven't seen her since. She disappeared and no one knew why."

"Wait, that den right there?" said Magril pointing towards the den beside Nars's.

"Yes, that den."

"I remember Alice," said Magril. "She was nice! What happened?"

"If Alice is Ann," said Claudette, "then it would explain how I met her! Alice must've traveled to the West where she changed her identity and met me! 'Cause Ann came really late in my Alpha School... which was probably not long after she broke up with Fleet. Everybody in my Alpha School always thought she was a lone wolf we accepted or something. I never thought she was from the North!"

"But how did Ann become Miranda?" said Austin.

"Who's Miranda?" asked Fleet.

"The wolf you know as Alice disguised herself as a new wolf named Miranda," said Claudette. "She nearly killed the pack leader, Fleet! That's why we were chasing after her!"

"How can one wolf be so many wolves?" asked Runt.

"I don't know how she does what she does nor do I care," Claudette asserted. "All I wonder is why she wanted to steal Fleet so bad after her breakup with him, and why did she try to kill the pack leader?!"

"Alice... you have a lot of explaining to do," said Fleet.

"Alright!" she barked. "Since you know too much anyway... It's because of the famine," the she-wolf explained. "Yes, I lived alongside Fleet for a while until late last winter. That's when the great famine hit us. I have an older father. I was part of his third litter. I knew this famine would hit us hard and it did. No one wanted to give food away to the elderly and sick because they figured it would be a waste of nutrients if they were going to die anyway. Even with the aid we were getting, it wasn't enough. I had to do something to support my father, so I ran away to the United Pack after Fleet and I broke up in hopes that I would find a strong mate there who had the ability and the will to help us survive. But something else happened... Not long after I was enrolled in the Western Alpha School, I was selected to take part in a secret operation. Top Alphas subjected me to vigorous training techniques never tried before. It was very experimental. They trained me to be a supreme Alpha. They even dubbed it a whole new class of wolves called 'Delta' wolves. There were going to be the future of pack security. But the program didn't last. The training was shut down for ethical reasons. They didn't want wolves to use that knowledge for malicious purposes. Nonetheless, I was the only one left with the power to do more harm and spying than any other wolf. That's how I learned to change my identity. For the remainder of my time in Alpha School, I got better with practice. I knew how to permanently change my smell and how to permanently change my appearance. Eventually, the Alice part of me faded and, for a short time, I forgot all about my father and my mission. That is until Fleet starting dating Claudette. I realized then that my ex was the closest thing I was going to get for a mate, so I tried to drive a wedge between you two."

"In hindsight, it backfired spectacularly," said Claudette.

"My attempts were unsuccessful, so I thought maybe I should start over with someone I've never met. And that's when I met Stinky. We became great friends over the past few weeks, and I was excited that this might be my chance to finally give the Northerners some real relief. He was the pack leader after all. I thought I could influence him; however, I never anticipated Fleet to do what he did to Claudette's father. The Constitutional Committee was angry at us Northerners and Stinky voted with them to cut aid from the North to save Fleet's life. I knew that meant that the Northern Pack and my father were certainly doomed. Again, I had to do something. Today, I confronted him about it, and I told him to do something for the North, but he wouldn't budge. I couldn't stand by it. I panicked and tried to force him to do something, but I think my emotions got the best of me. I must've been too harsh 'cause I ended up cutting his neck in our struggle. I didn't want to kill Stinky. He was my friend. But I realized what I did was going to have heavy ramifications, so I tried to hide him from the openness of the beach. I knew Stinky was supposed to visit his brother at some point, so I went to Runt and told him a lie to buy me some time to think of a cover-up. When I went back to Stinky, Austin spotted me and I panicked again and ran."

"And now we're here," said Claudette.

"Alice..." said Fleet.

"What is it that you want, Fleet? Don't tell me you're gonna bash me with insults."

"No, Alice. First, I want to talk about the emotions you felt when you confronted Stinky. I had similar emotions when I found out most of my pups died. I beat up an Omega after letting those emotions control me. So I know how you feel. Trust me. But I want to say that your emotions are no excuse. I had to deal with my consequences, and you're gonna have to deal with yours. And second, I have news... your father is dead."

"What...?" Ann lifted her head. Fleet replied with a slow nod. "Are you sure...?"

"He died yesterday in his den over there. I was with him."

"No... No... NOOOOOO! You're lying!"

"Alice... You can check the den. Harvey is gone. He's with the stars now. I'm very sorry..."

"Not my pop! No..."

"I'm sorry too," said Magril.

"No... He's gone...? No... I surrender..."

"You surrender?" said Austin.

"Do away with me as you please. My life has no meaning anymore..."

"Well... that was easy," said Runt.

"What should we do with the pup?" asked Fleet as he kept the young one in a tight protective hug. "Should we return him to his parents?"

"Actually," said Claudette, "that pup is ours."

"What?!" Runt, Magril, Austin, and Fleet said in unison. Fleet's ears perked up than ever before. He released the pup from his hug and looked down. The pup had stopped shaking.

"This is the little scamp I've been hearin' about?" said Runt.

"He's so cute!" said Magril. Fleet couldn't believe his eyes.

"This pup is..."

Claudette smiled and nodded with tears of joy. She knew this was the time he was waiting his whole life for.

"_Go ahead, honey! It's okay,_" she softly whispered to Fleet.

"Oh, by the stars above, I was worried I would never see my son... my little Evander! Oh, gosh... this is the greatest moment of my life!"

"This is Dad?" the pup asked his mother.

"Yes, dear. It's your father!"

"Come hither, Little E... May I show my love to you?" The Alpha reached out with his front paws, trying to encourage the pup to come to him but, queerly, the pup backed away, carrying an expression of uneasiness.

"No! I hate you!" he rebuked. The sentence astonished Fleet and Claudette.

"Evander! Don't say that! You don't mean it!" said his mother.

"I do!" the pup yelped.

"Oh... I see... *sniff* I'm sorry Little E..." Fleet backed up. A wave of sadness washed through him.

"Why," Claudette asked, "do you feel that way, sweetie?"

"Eve told me he beat up your dad and my uncle."

"Stinky? Your father didn't beat up Stinky. The she-wolf over there that took you did."

"What? That's not what Eve said."

"Eve lied!" said Runt. "Your dad has been banished to this place for the incident with Humphrey. He has an alibi."

"I can't believe Grandma Eve would do that!" said Claudette. "She lied straight to my pup about my fiancé! What nerve!"

"Little E is right about one thing though," said Fleet. "I did what I did to Humphrey. Look, Evander, I'm giving you the choice to feel how you feel. I did a terrible thing, no doubt it was dumb. I just want you to know that I love you so much, and I would never do anything to harm you or your mother. I want you to grow into the strong and independent wolf that I know you'll be. Because I love you, I'm giving you the choice if you want me in your life. I probably don't deserve it, but just know I'm offering a paw."

"What do you think, sweetie?" said Claudette.

"I... I don't know," said the pup before he suddenly fell backwards and started convulsing.

"What's happening?" asked Austin. "Is he alright?"

"Oh, crud! He's having another one! Everybody give him space!" Claudette was about to go help her pup, but Fleet stepped in.

"Don't worry, honey. I got this!" He moved his son's body away from any trees and bushes and placed his own body on top of him to keep him stationary. About a minute later it ended. The pup looked tired as if he just awoke. He didn't seem bothered at this point that his father was right above him. His eyesight became blurry, and he thought Fleet's face looked like a reflection of his. His deformed ear looked identical to the ear on Fleet that Alice had chipped.

After Fleet stepped away from the pup, Claudette came over and nuzzled Little E then nuzzled Fleet. She was happy her fiancé got a chance to meet their son. She gave a howl of victory and briefly danced around. That's when Humphrey arrived at the scene.

"Dad! What are you doing here?" asked Runt.

"It's Stinky! You need to come now! And I mean NOW!"

**Later...**

As Austin took Alice to the place in the Valley where prisoners were kept, Claudette, Little E, Runt, and Magril traveled to Claudette's den with Humphrey leading the way. The storm was stronger than ever, pushing fiercely to hinder the group, so they decided to huddle together to better push back. Claudette's paws ached even more. Plants thrashed around. Air currents turbulently raced everywhere. The summer rain turned to vicious hail. The group, determined to reach their destination, marched through the ridiculous weather. Little E was pushed into the center of the group, so no ice balls could hit him directly. He trekked underneath the huge belly of Magril. Claudette was in the back keeping on eye on him. Surprisingly, the thunderstorm didn't terrorize the pup nor really give him anything but indifference. It made her smile. Her pup was weird but strong. No hail could spook his spirit.

It took a couple of hours, but the five wolves finally made it inside Claudette's home. They shook themselves strenuously to release any ice stuck in their fur. Stinky was still alive but fading every second. He had bark wrapped around his neck, but the loss of blood seemed too great for him to recover.

"I've done the best I could do," said Eve.

"Stinky!" said Claudette.

"_Oh... hey, everyone..._"

"Everything's gonna be alright," said Humphrey. "You're gonna get through this."

"*cough, cough* _Dad... I love you... Take care of Mom for me._" Humphrey began to tear up.

"I will... I love you too, son..."

"_Claudette?_"

"Yes, bro?"

"_This is something you must know if you don't know already._"

"What is it?"

"_Your son... Evander... is the only heir to the pack's leadership._"

"Why are you saying this? Aren't you going to be able to come home eventually?"

"_Sis'..._ *cough* _You and me both know that's not going to happen..._"

"Brother, are you serious?" said Runt. "You're not gonna go home?"

"_I... I am home_," the pack leader assured. His consciousness began to slip. "_Since the heir needs wedded parents to ensure the natural development he needs to become a successful pack leader, Claudette and Fleet must be married at the earliest convenient time possible. Therefore... Fleet's banishment is void._"

"What?!" said Eve. "Stinky, don't do this..."

"_It is the law, Eve. Even I am not above it._"

"Son," said Humphrey. "I don't... I don't want to lose you... Please... *sniff*"

"_You won't, Dad. I promise._"

"Thank you, bro," said Claudette. "For everything... Thank you for pairing me and my special one... Thank you so so much."

"_You're welcome, sis'... Runt?"_

"Yes, bro?"

"_Be yourself... You were a pain in my butt... and I wouldn't ask for you to be any different._"

"Thank you, Stinky... just... just do me a favor? Tell Grandpa Winston I miss him."

"_Of course, Runt. _*cough*"

"Son," Humphrey sobbed. "I'm really going to miss you... Please, is there something anything you want?" Stinky closed his eyes and failed to respond. "Son? Son! Son, can you hear me...? Don't go... Please..." Eve pressed her paw against his leg and felt his pulse abruptly cease. Humprey came to his son's body and cried uncontrollably. The other wolves couldn't contain their sadness either except for Little E who stared at Stinky blankly. He then looked at the walls in the den and noticed writing. He couldn't read it.

"Mom?"

"Yes, sweetie?"

"What's that?" Little E pointed at it. Claudette looked at the wall and said the barely legible words aloud.

"It says, '**Howl everyday like the wolves' way**.' Your uncle wrote that before you were born..."

"What does it mean?" he asked.

"It means to stay happy even when things are gloomy and hopeless."

"Oh... And Mom?"

"Hmm?"

"I miss Dad."

"I miss him too, sweetie. But don't worry. He's coming home to us soon. We'll finally be a family... I know your uncle would want us to... And that reminds me... Eve?"

"Yes, Claudette?"

"I want you out of my den now..."

"Um, excuse me?"

"Don't hit me with that crap. You lied to my son. You told him Fleet did this, didn't you?"

"Well... ummm... You gotta think about it from my perspe—"

"ENOUGH! I said get out!" Claudette urged. Eve then exited the den silently. The young mother sighed before frowning.

"Stinky wouldn't want us to be sad," said Runt. "We must make it up to him!"

"He believed in the love Claudette and Fleet had! In a few days, there'll be a special wedding... in his honor," Humphrey declared.

"No one will attend it," said Magril, "'cause they know what Fleet did to you, Humphrey."

"It's not about them anyway... It's fine if they don't wanna come. They have that right. But we are a family... We will do this our way... Claudette?"

"Yes?"

"Go get your special one..."

"Thanks, Dad..." Claudette's smile returned again. She wiped the tears from her eyes and hugged her pup.

Outside, the storm was nonexistent. Clouds began to dissipate, allowing rays of sunshine to finally reach the Earth, making water droplets on the ground shine like crystals. The grasses glowed light green as the seasonal finches chirped overhead. The wolves then chuckled at the sight of a magnificent rainbow hovering above the trees in the distance, arches of individual colors all adjacent to each other, a sign of the Valley brightening with life. Little E was amazed. The world never looked more inviting to experience.

**Three days later...**

The Ceremonial Valley was covered in flowers. The sky was infinitely clear and the summer sun gave warmth to the wolves below. There were no puddles, no lightning, no thunder, no pesky sprinkles or icky humid air. It was nothing but the fate of Jasper Pack being decided. It was now a happier time. Not only was the United Pack finally accepting refugees from the North, essentially ending the widespread hunger, but Claudette and Fleet were almost done with their wedding. Wolves from around the Valley, from the West, the East, the North, and the South, attended after Humphrey gave a speech on Mt. Victory pardoning Fleet. Among the crowd was Austin, Nars, Magril, Humphrey, Runt, Mooch, and even Eve and Kate begrudgingly came. They watched the couple accept each other's scents, nibble each other's ears, and formally nuzzle, but one thing was still left: the vows. For that, the acting pack leader, Kyle, would deliver them. Claudette and Fleet stood proudly upon the Marriage Rock, their son, Evander, sitting between them.

"On this Earth," Kyle began, "we celebrate the powerful connection amid these two souls. Whether you like or dislike them, one cannot deny that their love for each other is potent. Through thick and thin, they've endured the impossible. Across lands, skies, waters, and time, they've lasted together, and they shall remain together forevermore. They are the parents to a beautiful pup, a future king of this strong pack. It is their destiny to nurture him for the well-being of us all. And to help do that, I will formally give the royal vows, first to Fleet, then to Claudette. Do you, Fleet, take this Western she-wolf to be your forever mate, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, 'til death may separate you from her?"

"I do!" he responded.

"Do you, Claudette, take this male wolf to be your forever mate, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, 'til death may separate you from him?"

"Oh, bitter berries, for the love of grace, of course, I do! He's my one and only special one!"

"Then by the power vested in me, I shall pronounce you two MATES FOR LIFE!" The huge crowd cheered as Claudette impatiently kissed Fleet on the lips.

Claudette was a long way from that night on Moonlight Howl Rock. For the first time ever, she felt at rest, peaceful with the universe. She had her special one and he had his. The world, as far as she was concerned, was complete. The new chapter of her life was to begin. Although time never made it easy for her, she found a way to keep going, to keep moving. She now knew for sure she was addicted to love but she didn't care. It was part of her. She embraced it. She was no longer that awkward adolescent; she was an adult capable of making her own decisions. She could love however she wanted and however she needed. And now nothing mattered more than her love. This was the pinnacle of her romance and happiness, a culmination where ecstasy and awe entangled. And to quintessentially make her mark on it, Claudette, the Alpha, howled a single song, so she could remember this moment beyond her lifetime.

**(Howling Starts)**

**His dear complexion astounds me **

**My fears lesson around him **

**What compares to his charity? **

**What flares more than his words?**

** . . . **

**Did high heaven summon light? **

**To blind me up so I am humble?**

** He works hard all day and night **

**And for that, I'm sooo thankful **

**. . . **

**He's nothing but a dream, ****nothing but a dream**

** And he's beyond what it seems, beyond what it seems**

**He's takin' breath outta' me, breath outta' me**

** And he's beyond everything, beyond everything**

**. . .**

** Oh, he can be old**

**He can be old**

** I know, I know **

**Oh, I love him, though**

** Oh, I love him, though **

**I know, I know **

**He's above it all **

**He's above it all**

** I know, I know **

**He's beyond it all**

**He's beyond it all**

**. . .**

** Beyond his face, ****I wonder what's more**

**Will I ever find ****anymore inside him?**

**His greatness transcends the greatest, ****and if I gave him up**

**I am shameless ****and without love**

**. . .**

**He's nothing but a dream, ****nothing but a dream**

**And he's beyond what it seems, beyond what it seems**

**He's takin' breath outta' me, breath outta' me**

**And he's beyond everything, beyond everything**

**. . .**

**Oh, he can be old**

**He can be old**

**I know, I know**

**Oh, I love him, though**

**Oh, I love him, though**

**I know, I know**

**He's above it all**

**He's above it all**

**I know, I know**

**He's beyond it all**

**He's beyond it all**

**. . .**

** Some others don't know what they have**

** I'm among them but I aim to grasp **

**A vast wealth of imagination within him**

**I'm too impatient**

**His worth is beyond the Earth **

**He may be too much to learn**

**So complex and diverse**

** But I love that about him**

**. . .**

**He's nothing but a dream, ****nothing but a dream**

**And he's beyond what it seems, beyond what it seems**

**He's takin' breath outta' me, breath outta' me**

**And he's beyond everything, beyond everything**

**. . .**

**Oh, he can be old**

**He can be old**

**I know, I know**

**Oh, I love him, though**

**Oh, I love him, though**

**I know, I know**

**He's above it all**

**He's above it all**

**I know, I know**

**He's beyond it all**

**He's beyond it all**

**(Howling Stops)**

Claudette once had a crush, once had a boyfriend, ex-boyfriend, and fiancé but, now and forevermore, she has a mate. Nothing more. Nothing less. And as Claudette and her special one went home, her older brother lay in his burial with Little E's collection of crystals perfectly encircling the mound...

**THE END**

* * *

**Songs "Forevermore" and "Beyond" written by DogDrawler himself. Thank you guys for believing in me! This series would not be possible without you! **


	2. Claudette Series Credits

**Claudette Series - Credits**

* * *

**Special Thanks**

TheChriZ1995

dax0042

FoxOfLight77

KiaraPaw

Blue (Guest)

Itsmario123 a.k.a. ThatGuyNamedGuy

CommanderOmega

Whitewolf1224

Wolfofthesouth (Guest)

bikerboy

* * *

**Author's Note**

**At the moment, the Claudette series is the book series I'm most proud. The original _Claudette's Crush_ was only intended to stand on its own. I had little expectations for it, but, instead, it led me on this journey that kept pioneering my writing abilities. As TheChriZ1995 once said, Claudette's Crush was one of the first (or at least one of the best) fanfictions to bring Claudette into the spotlight. And it was all thanks to**** you ****guys. Your support is what drove me to move mountains, and I'm glad I was able to deliver a satisfying ending. If anyone wants to continue the story or make a spinoff, they are welcome to as long as I have CREDIT and you have PERMISSION. But my part of the story is over, and I'm sad to finally see it go. See you next time and have a pawsome day!**

* * *

Claudette's Crush (2014)

Claudette's Boyfriend (2014)

Claudette's Ex-boyfriend (2015)

Claudette's Fiancé (2018)

Claudette's Mate (2019)

* * *

**The Claudette Series is a collection of 5 short stories detailing the romance life of Claudette after she graduates Alpha School. **


End file.
